BOLTING INTO 2013
KEY GAMES, PLAYERS THIS SEASON

Chargers open vs. Texans; six of their eight road games kick off early

Texans | Sept. 9

Running back Arian Foster and the Houston Texans will visit Qualcomm Stadium in the Monday night season opener. Getty Images

Colts | Oct. 14

The Chargers host Andrew Luck and the Colts on MNF. Getty Images

Cowboys | Sept. 29

Quarterback Tony Romo and the Cowboys visit in Week 4. U-T file photo

At Redskins | Nov. 3

The Bolts will face the Redskins’ Robert Griffin III in Washington. Getty Images

Chargers’ regular-season schedule

Date Opponent

Sept. 9 Houston

Sept. 15 Philadelphia

Sept. 22 Tennessee

Sept. 29 Dallas

Oct. 6 Oakland

Oct. 14 Indianapolis

Oct. 20 Jacksonville

Oct. 27 Bye

Nov. 3 Washington

Date Opponent

Nov. 10 Denver

Nov. 17 Miami

Nov. 24 Kansas City

Dec. 1 Cincinnati

Dec. 8 N.Y. Giants

Dec. 12 Denver

Dec. 22 Oakland

Dec. 29 Kansas City

(Home games in bold)

Rise and shine.

The Chargers are waking up early on the East Coast again.

When the NFL announced the regular-season schedule Thursday, the team learned six of its eight road games begin at 10 a.m. PT. Four of those games are on the East Coast: Philadelphia, Jacksonville, Washington and Miami.

“You go out there, and you have 16 opportunities that are guaranteed to your football team,” McCoy said. “We’re going to practice early here, so really, our practices will be starting just a little bit after 10 o’clock our time anyway. The players are going to be here early in the morning. They’re going to start a little after 7 o’clock every morning. That won’t bother us at all.”

San Diego opens its season Sept. 9 against the Texans. It’s the late game of a Monday Night Football doubleheader and the first of three nationally televised Chargers games. The team also will play Monday night at home against the Colts on Oct. 14 and on Thursday night in Denver on Dec. 12.

After a Week 8 bye, the Chargers are on the road three of four games in November, playing the Redskins in Week 9, Dolphins in Week 11 and Chiefs in Week 12. They host the Broncos in Week 10 on Nov. 10.

Chargers cornerback Derek Cox is used to traveling across the country, albeit from east to west.

He spent his first four seasons with the Jaguars.

“In terms of just being on a plane that long, you’ve got to be smart,” Cox said Thursday. “You’ve got to properly hydrate while you’re on the plane, and when you get off, you just have to get off your feet and try to recover, especially on rest. Flying can be tough on you when you’re going to a different time zone. You do what you can.”

Returning Chargers players are used to the trek. There were four 10 a.m. East Coast games in 2012 as well. San Diego went 2-2 in those contests, earning a 10-point win against the Steelers and Jets in December. It lost 7-6 in Cleveland and 34-24 in Tampa Bay.

This year’s first trip comes Week 2 for the Eagles’ home opener.

The last four teams to play Philadelphia in its home opener went on to win the Super Bowl: the Ravens, Giants, Packers and Saints.

Alexander deadline

If a team is to sign wide receiver Danario Alexander to an offer sheet, today is the day.

The Chargers’ restricted free agent is free to negotiate with other teams until midnight. Once the clock strikes, San Diego becomes the only club with such rights.

It tendered Alexander last month to a one-year contract worth $1.323 million. He is expected to sign it should no outside suitor emerge in the eleventh hour.

“I think he and Philip (Rivers) have a great working relationship on the football field,” McCoy said. “When you see some of the plays (Thursday) throughout practice, you know they’re on the same page on a lot of things. It is new terminology — don’t get me wrong — but Philip knows the way he’s going to run certain routes, so they had a great three days together.”